In the Air Tonight
by AkiraDawn
Summary: A cold, dreary and rainy January night in Wutai. He shouldn't have made the journey from Midgar in his condition. He didn't care. He had to get out of there and once he saw her;  he could feel it coming in the air tonight. TsengxElena M for a reason!
1. The Cold Rain

In the Air Tonight

I don't own Final Fantasy or anything related to it. It belongs to Square Enix

Elena tapped her fingers repeatedly on the table and swirled her drink around in her glass with her other free hand. She glared at these two idiots that were with her, disgusted that they weren't taking this at all seriously. This wasn't a fuckin' vacation…this was business. Reno and Rude were laughing like fools. The two of them had been drinking all evening and were shit faced beyond belief. Elena alternated between staring into the crackling fire in the fireplace across the room and watching the two buffoons that were sitting on either side of her. She swallowed the rest of the liquid in her glass and shoved it toward the center of the table. She sighed irritatedly and shoved her chair backwards.

"I'm leaving. You two are dumbasses! You know that! You don't take anything seriously! My god! We're supposed to be collecting information and you two are treating this like some kind of fuckin' holiday!" Elena hissed at them.

"Relax, Elena! Come on! Sit down! Have another drink! Hell, I'm buyin'!" Rude said stupidly even though he was serious about buying her another drink.

"No! No! Just…just shut the hell up! You two can stay here, get even more trashed and drag some hoe back to your hotel room. I'm outta here. I'll see you in the morning." Elena adjusted her black trench coat and tied its belt around her waist. She jammed her hands in her pockets to dig her gloves out. It was a cold night tonight. She had left her umbrella near the door with her wool scarf tied around it. She gave her stupid colleagues one last look before wrapping her scarf around her neck and readying her umbrella for the chilly, rainy, Wutai night that awaited her outside. She pushed the door open and stepped outside underneath the canopy of the tavern. Cold rain poured off the canopy in lopsided streams. Once her umbrella was pushed up, she headed down the sidewalk, the heavy drops hitting the nylon that covered her steadily. Elena shivered as she proceeded north.

Wutai was desolate tonight. The streets, though brightly lit, were empty. The roadways had few passing cars. These were only the telltale signs that the war in Wutai had long ago decimated the once grand city. This was what was left. She shivered as she tried to pick up her pace. She had traveled almost an entire block to the north when she could feel the vibration of her phone in her pocket. She fumbled for it with her free hand and flipped it open. "Hello?" she answered it not even bothering to look at the caller ID.

"Hey." The voice said.

"Hey. How are you?" Elena asked stopping where she was.

"Better. A lot better in fact. Thank god for restore materia, right?" the voice said to Elena. "Listen, where are you? I'm landing in South Wutai in twenty-five minutes."

"What! Tseng! What the hell are you doing in a helicopter! You're…you're still recovering! That's crazy!" Elena scolded him.

"The doctor said it was okay for me to fly. I just can't be doing anything stupid like…pick things up." Tseng explained.

"Well, I still think it's stupid that you got in a helicopter considering how severe your injuries were." Elena said.

"Can you meet me at the South Wutai helipad? Oh, and can you get me a room for tonight? If you have to pay up front let me know and I'll pay you back." Tseng requested of her. Elena quickly turned around and began walking in the opposite direction.

"Let me see what I can do. I'm headed your way. I'll call you back in a couple minutes." Elena assured him.

"Okay." Tseng hung up the phone shortly thereafter. Elena pulled one of her gloves off so she would actually be able to dial her phone. She called the inn where she, Reno and Rude were staying. "Hi, I need to book a room for the evening." There was a pause. "No vacancies? Hmm…is there anyone scheduled to check out this evening? I see. Well, are there any other inns I could check with? Alright, thank you very much." Elena hung her phone up. It wasn't the best of news on a cold January night like this. Out of nowhere, the wind tore through her as it pelted her with heavy drops of water. Her uncovered hand was frozen instantly. Her teeth chattered as she dialed her phone again. "Hey. We have a problem. There are no vacancies left at the inn. The receptionist said there was another inn on the east side of town but that would be well over a forty-minute walk." Elena explained.

"Hmmm. I see. I can stay with Rude and Reno." Tseng said.

"You don't want to do that. They are both going to be so shitfaced they won't know their own names. We'll figure something out. I'm halfway there." Elena said.

"I'll see you in a few. We're getting ready to land." Tseng told her.

"Okay, bye." Tseng said. Elena shoved her phone into her pocket and quickly reached for her glove. She wondered what condition she would find Tseng in. The incident at the Temple of the Ancients had occurred nearly three months prior. He had been recovering ever since it happened and had been under intensive care for the majority of the time. It was only recently that the doctor's had given him clearance to be mobile again. Elena worried about him. He had been lucky. The situation could have been fatal, but thanks to powerful materia and fast medical care his worst wounds had been quickly attended to. She continued walking, picking up her pace a little and dodging the puddles that were flooding the sidewalks. It was understandable that the inn hadn't had any vacancies. There were only forty rooms in the small, three story structure and it was apparent that the last of the rooms had been booked at some point during the day. Elena hoped that Tseng didn't have a lot of luggage. They had a ways to travel and he wasn't supposed to be tugging on anything. The streets were becoming dimmer the farther away from the business district Elena traveled. Not that Wutai had much of a business district anymore, but nonetheless, the lights were still fading. Elena pushed her umbrella into the January air that whisked a sheet of rain toward her. The bottom edge of her black trench was getting wet. Elena could see the lights of the helipad in the distance. She was glad that at least Tseng had sense enough to have someone fly him here tonight rather than trying to fly himself. Elena knew she would have to get some sort of clearance from the helipad watch-tower before she could enter the gates. She looked both ways down the barren street before crossing to the opposite side. It was a miracle someone was even operating this tower on a night like this. She approached a heavily barbed-wired gate with a keypad beside it. She could hardly see by the dim light above her but she managed to press a call button.

"Hi, Shinra Electric Power Company. I'm meeting my boss here. My ID number is D2941139SEP." Elena rattled off her ID number like it was her phone number. It became second nature very quickly. In fact, she already thought she would know what the tower operator would ask her next.

"State your party's ID please." The operator asked knowing good and well Elena was referring to the Shinra marked chopper that was currently landing.

"Director, Department of Administrative Research. ID number E3720048SEP." Elena rambled off again like clockwork. She knew Tseng's ID and he knew hers. You work together long enough and it was second nature.

"You're clear." The operator told her. There was a buzzing sound and the gate unlocked. Elena pushed the chain-link reinforced gate open. The chopper blades blew rain in all directions. Elena held her umbrella directly in front of her face as she got closer to the screaming blades. As if the night weren't already cold enough, the moving blades created an icy current. She circled the chopper until she was at the side door, moving her umbrella to the side. The door slid open slowly. Tseng was yelling something to the pilot before preparing to leave the safety of the cabin. Elena noticed a large duffel bag laying in the floor of the cabin. The lights inside the chopper were much needed on this landing pad. Aside from the exterior lights on the chopper and the faint blinking landing lights around the helipad, there wasn't much other lighting around.

"Hi. Thanks for meeting me." Tseng said dragging the duffel across the metal toward the edge of the chopper door. Elena quickly reached for it, swooping it up and onto her shoulder before Tseng even had a chance to oppose. She pointed for his other bag.

"No, no…it's okay. I can get it. It's lighter." He insisted. Elena extended a hand out to Tseng and he didn't hesitate grab her. He needed her for stability. Once out of the chopper, Tseng gave the pilot once last wave before the door slid shut.

"Did you bring an umbrella?" Elena asked loudly as they slowly moved away from the blades. The current coming off the blades blew Tseng's tied back hair around his shoulder. The helicopter wouldn't take off until they were long gone in order to ensure Tseng got through the gates with Elena.

"Not at all. Two and a half hours ago I was in a very dry Midgar. I can't believe this." Tseng said. Fortunately, Elena's umbrella was enough for the two of them.

"So, do I need to hold you up or what?" Elena asked wondering what was still healing and what wasn't.

"No, I'm fine. It's just my ribs. I have this adhesive bandage thing wrapped around me." Tseng explained. "I'm sorry you have my luggage on your shoulder. That's not the way it's supposed to be. I'm ashamed, really." Tseng continued. Elena laughed.

"Tseng, please. It's not a big deal. Besides, you've been through hell with this recovery. The least I can do for you is carry you bag." Elena's teeth chattered again as the January air cut through both of them. They would make slow progress heading back toward the inn and toward the business district.

"What are Reno and Rude doing tonight?" Tseng asked. Elena moaned in disgust.

"Getting way drunk and not taking our assignment seriously at all." She said. " I was going to head out alone tomorrow since they are being such dumbasses."

"That's a stupid choice. You can't do it alone. Don't be so impulsive with things like this." Tseng warned her.

"I'm sorry, it's just that…they act like this is nothing; as if they are on some kind of paid vacation." Elena explained.

"I'm glad you feel passionately about your work." Tseng said. There was silence between them for a moment.

"You know, we uh…we've never had a chance to go to dinner." Tseng reminded her. "That's what happens when you get a little fucked up unexpectedly…you have to postpone your dinner plans."

"You're right. We haven't have we?" Elena realized. There was silence again.

"Let's go tonight." Tseng finally said. Elena shot her eyes sideways.

"Tonight? You want to go to dinner tonight?" She asked both delighted and surprised.

"No, I want to _take _you to dinner tonight." Tseng emphasized. Elena laughed again.

"Okay, well…there are a few places around the inn. Do you want to stop somewhere before we get there?" she asked.

"That sounds perfect." Tseng assured her as cold water began penetrating both of them. Elena found herself moving closer to Tseng in hopes he would be warmer. It was only then that she noticed her umbrella leaning too far forward; the rain was blowing in on she and Tseng from behind.

"Oh, damn it that's cold. Sorry." Elena said tilting her umbrella back once more.

"My god, it's a brutal night." Tseng commented as they approached the lights of the business district. The vertical red sign of the inn could be seen in the distance.

"It is." Elena agreed.

"Is there a pharmacy near the inn?" Tseng questioned.

"Yeah, a 24-hour pharmacy is across the street." Elena said.

"Excellent. I need to get some fresh gauze tonight to wrap myself up again." Tseng said as they trudged through a series of puddles.

"Oh no! I forgot about your wrap. The rain hasn't soaked through your coat and into your bandages has it?" Elena asked rather worried.

"No, it's fine for now. I'm supposed to change the bandages daily to avoid an infection of any kind." Elena lead Tseng toward a small hole in the wall pub near the hotel. The pub seemed so out of place for Wutai, but nonetheless it was here and it appeared busy. Elena grabbed the door for Tseng and then quickly closed her umbrella once they were both covered by the pub's overhang. She shook it a bit before heading inside the dryness of the pub with Tseng.

"That's not right. No woman should open a door for a man." Tseng told her as he tried his best to stay out of the immediate crowd for fear someone would bump into him.

"Hush. Do I need to remind you again that you're injured?" Elena said.

"Now all these people that just saw that think I'm a total prick." Tseng said over his shoulder to her. Elena laughed. She wrestled her umbrella and the bag on her shoulder as she stumbled inside behind Tseng. Thank goodness it was warm in here. Both Tseng and Elena could use this time to dry off a little and shake away the numbing chill. "You sit down, I'll tell the hostess to put us on the waiting list. Looks like it will be a while." Tseng said looking around them.

"No, please. Will you just relax? Sit here and I'll take care of it." Elena said putting her hands on Tseng's shoulders and pushing him down in one of the only available seats left in this small waiting area.

"Elena, I'm not that….injured." he said the last part to himself because she had already scampered off. He watched her closely. She wasn't gone long.

"Come on. There's a table now." Elena said reaching out for Tseng's hands and pulling him up.

"And why do we get a table before all these other people?" Tseng asked, realizing he had only let go of one of her hands.

"Apparently, they are all here for some party in the back room of this place." Elena said still holding on to Tseng. Thank goodness the hostess took them to a table in the very back of the place away from the bustle of the waiting crowd.

"Your waiter will be here shortly." The hostess said before leaving them alone.

"Could this place be any dimmer?" Tseng said looking at the small red votive that held a melting candle. It was true this place was dimly lit, but that was part of the pub atmosphere. Elena smiled.

"I like it. It's…rather cozy." She said. "So, what do you drink?" Tseng laughed at her.

"Tonight, nothing. As much as I want something, alcohol is forbidden until I come off of this stupid pain killer. It's really strong and I hate it; not to mention those pills cost 185 gil per refill." He said.

"You're kidding? Why!" Elena wondered.

"Probably because they have a street value of like 150 gil. If I ever need to supplement my income I know what to do." Tseng said jokingly. Elena laughed.

"I fact…it's time for me to take one." Tseng said looking at his watch.

"Let me see that." Elena said reaching for his wrist. "This is a beautiful watch. It's vintage isn't it?"

"It is. It belonged to Reeve. He gave it to me when he resigned. I was honored because I had always thought it was unique and frankly, he valued it tremendously." He said.

"Is that real emerald inlay?" she asked.

"Yes. Emerald inlay with onyx and oyster shell." He explained.

"Hmm…well it's truly beautiful." Elena said letting her fingers run over the face of it.

"Thanks. I certainly thought so." He said. Elena smiled.

"Are you interested in splitting something?" she asked.

"Anything you want." Tseng said. "I have an idea, let's get the sampler. This thing has pretty much everything on it." Tseng said.

"That's a wonderful idea. I could go for a sample of everything." Elena said. "So, why did you think it was necessary to come to Wutai?" Elena asked as she closed her menu.

"Well uh…to tell you the truth, I…I just kind of wanted to see you and Reno and Rude and…spend some time with you since we never got the chance when I was injured." Tseng confessed to her. "Do you realize how awful it gets in that damn hospital and how much your mind just…turns over and over a million times a minute because you're just laying there with the weight of the world on your mind?"

"I can imagine it's quite mundane. I'm glad you came. I'd be lying if I said it wasn't nice." Elena said. "Hi, can I get unsweetened tea please." She looked toward the waitress.

"Certainly. For you sir?" the woman asked.

"I'll take the same and we want the sampler." Tseng told her.

"Very well. I'll put that in." she said before turning and leaving them. Elena laughed.

"She thinks your fine." Elena said shooting her eyes to the table.

"What in the world makes you say that?" Tseng asked her smiling.

"Because it was so obvious. She looked at you as if you were the most delicious thing she'd seen all day." Tseng laughed at her again.

"Well, Elena…there are countless women beating down the hospital doors to get to me." He said sarcastically. She laughed at him.

"I know I sure would…" she mumbled. She studied him with heavy brown eyes. Tseng studied her just as closely. It was a rather awkward silence for a moment until their waitress returned.

"Thank you." He said to her. He looked at Elena once more. "You know Elena…there are so many at Shinra that would just kill for the chance to be with you." Tseng told her. She turned horribly red.

"I'm so sure, Tseng." She said smiling.

"Oh yes…yes…it's a full time job to keep them at bay from you." Tseng admitted.

"What? Are you saving me for something?" she asked rather jokingly even though part of her may have been serious. Tseng never really answered her.

"I love this song." He said instead. Elena watched him, listening to the haunting melody.

"This song's about…tragedy…something tragic happens and…he waits and waits to…confront the pain." She said distantly as she looked at Tseng.

"Or maybe…he's haunted…by that festering thought…the thing he knows he should do but…he's never done it. And…he knows he needs to…or he's gonna lose her." Elena's eyes shot to the table as she felt Tseng's hand on hers. She looked up at him again but this intense stare was broken by the arrival of their plate. "So, uh…I should probably call Reno. You know, to make sure I can stay with them tonight." Tseng said unwrapping his silverware.

"Oh, yeah…yeah. That…that might be smart. But remember, he's totally smashed so don't expect him to actually take you seriously." Elena said doing the same. Tseng reached for his phone and tried Reno.

"No answer. Why doesn't he have his voicemail set up?" he asked.

"It's hard to tell. Elena said."

"I'll try Rude." Tseng said doing exactly that. His phone rang a few times. "No answer with him either."

"You uh…you could…you could always…just stay with me. I mean…you know I have a couch…in my room." Elena said awkwardly.

"Oh…well…I mean if you have a couch…that would…that would work, right? I guess, I…I wouldn't need to get ahold of Reno or Rude. I mean, if I were going to stay with you." Tseng said nervously.

"Yeah, yeah…yeah…you…you don't need to call them. Of course, that is…if you…don't mind…spending the night…with me." Elena said cumbersomely.

"No, no, no….I….I don't...mind…no. Okay, well…I'll stay with you then…if…you're okay with that." Tseng said.

"Alright." Elena said. And so it was settled. Unfortunately, this conversation had created a sort of nervous tension between them.

"I'll uh…I'll have to take a shower when I get there…is that alright?" It was a completely stupid question, but nonetheless it was something to break the silence.

"That's okay, of course it is. You probably need to….do that before rewrapping your gauze anyway. When we return to the inn I'll get some extra pillows and a blanket requested from the front desk." Elena said.

"I'm not used to this kind of thing." Tseng said.

"What kind of thing?" Elena questioned.

"Being taken care of." He answered.

"You've been in the hospital for more than three months! The only thing you've _been_ is taken care of!" Elena said laughing. Tseng smiled.

"Well, I'm certainly not used to being taken care of…by a woman like you." He said. Elena blushed and shot her eyes toward the table again.

"You know, this was a good choice. I like that it's not noisy in here." Elena said quickly changing the subject.

"You're right. It was a good choice." He said. "Has it rained here all day like what we walked through?"

"No…didn't start until near sundown, but it's been brutally cold." Elena explained.

"I love sleeping through the rain. Even a cold one like tonight is…" Tseng didn't finish his sentence. He looked up at Elena. "I've hardly gotten a decent night's rest since I've been in that hospital….except when it rains. I toss, I turn, I thrash…I relive every moment of that mission…except when it rains. When the pain would come back…I would…I would lay there miserable staring at the ceiling, watching the fluorescent lights spin until the medicine bit in. God Elena it's been…it's been hell in there." Elena studied him carefully the entire time he spoke. She reached out and took his hands in hers.

"It was my fault. That whole mission…you ended up the way you did because of me." Elena said.

"That's not true. It just happened, Elena. If anyone's to blame it's Rufus. Don't you ever tell him I said that. You didn't do it Elena." Tseng reassured her.

"I just wish…I wish I could make that mission up to you somehow." Elena said sincerely.

"Just…just spend time with me for a while." Tseng asked of her. Elena continued watching him.

"I would…I would love nothing more than to do that." Elena said. "Um…should we get the check?"

"Yes, lets." Tseng watched Elena for a moment. "Elena…there's something…in the air tonight." He said as Elena flagged their waitress.

"What? You mean rain?" she asked jokingly.

"I was thinking…the calm…that I feel tonight but…maybe it is in fact…just the rain." Tseng said.

"You're exhausted, aren't you?" Elena asked looking in to weary brown eyes.

"It's not so much me…it's the medication." Tseng said.

"Come on, we'll just leave some cash here, she'll get it." Elena said as she dug in her pockets again for her gloves.

"You know…when we get back to Midgar, we should…we should do somethin'." Tseng said pulling out his wallet. Elena wrestled her coat but stopped when he said it.

"What do you mean?" Elena asked.

"I don't know…like…we should do something together….that's not work related. All we ever do together is work related. Even tonight…I'm here with you because I'm here on work business." Tseng explained as he laid some bills out on the table and reached for his own trench coat.

"Is um…is that your way of asking me out? Like on a date or something?" Elena asked buttoning her coat and pulling her gloves on. Tseng actually blushed a little, which Elena thought was impossible, considering it _was _her straight-laced boss and all.

"Yeah…yeah, I…I guess I am. Sorry it's…I'm not very good…you know…with women." Tseng admitted. Elena smiled.

"Oh, I think you must be quite good with them because you just convinced me to say that I'd love to do something when we get back to Midgar." Elena stood up and slung the bags over her shoulder once more. "Come on. We'll talk more about it when we get to the inn." Once they had themselves put together again, it was time to head out. Fortunately, they only had two blocks to go; the inn on one side of the street and the pharmacy on the other. Tseng grabbed Elena's hand as they headed down the street.

"You're holding my hand." Elena said out loud as she pushed her umbrella up once more.

"I know. I'm dizzy, it's a side effect of the medicine. If I hold on to you, I'm less likely to walk like a drunk." He explained.

"It's okay." Elena promised him. "Listen, the pharmacy is right up here another block. Are you okay to go in and get the gauze while I request a couple extra pillows and a blanket?" Elena asked.

"That's perfectly fine. I'll meet you in the room." Tseng said as he held on to her shoving his other hand in his pocket, trying to avoid the cold with his bare hands.

"Alright, it's 307, I'll leave the door dead bolted open." Elena said as a jittery feeling shot through her. She wasn't certain why but she felt a bit of nervousness over the fact that Tseng was staying the night in her room. She hoped Reno and Rude didn't catch wind of this otherwise she knew she'd never hear the end of it. They approached the block of the inn, seeking refuge under the small awning over the main door.

"Okay, I'll be back in just a few minutes." Tseng said.

"Here, take this with you." Elena handed over her umbrella, trading it for Tseng's other bag he was carrying. She was grateful for the warm, dryness that was the lobby of the inn. She shuddered and walked over to the desk. "Hi, could I get an extra blanket and perhaps some pillows sent to room 307, please?" she asked.

"Certainly, are you on your way to your room now?" the woman behind the desk asked.

"Yes." Elena answered.

"Very well. I'll send them right up for you." She answered Elena.

"Thank you." Elena said heading for the stairs. It was an old building and it didn't have an elevator. Thank goodness the bags weren't all that heavy. The inn was so quiet tonight, the sound of the rain blowing against the windows was all to be heard in the halls. The red light from the vertical INN sign streamed through the room's window. Elena sighed with relief as she opened the door, flipping the dead bolt over as promised. She awkwardly kicked her shoes off as not to track water and grit across the carpet and sat Tseng's bags down near the dresser. Elena unwound her scarf from her neck and unbuttoned her coat; jamming her gloves into her pockets for good this time. She hung everything on the back of the door. There was a faint knock at the door.

"Oh, thank you so much." Elena said to the housekeeper who had brought the linens.

"Certainly, have a nice evening." The housekeeper said before leaving Elena. She threw the blanket and pillows on the nearby couch and dug around in her bag to find something to put on for the time being. With her hands full, she plopped a white cardigan and short black shorts down on the counter. She unzipped her black blazer and slung it over the nearby chair, the rest of her clothes followed suit. Elena should have thought this through a little more thoroughly before stepping in the shower. Her cold and weary body wanted to feel the heat of the streaming water but she didn't think about the fact that Tseng may actually come _in _while she was still in the shower. She didn't have to be concerned with the thought because it was a quick in and out, just long enough to wash the long day away. She felt better and warmer as she reached for a towel. The ends of her blonde hair were wet. She dried off quickly and threw her towel aside. The knock at the door startled her. There she was naked and at least seven feet from her clothes.

"Uh…hold on….hold on just a….don't come in here yet! Juuuuust a minute!" Elena said slinging her clothes on as quickly as she possibly could. "Okay, I'm decent!" Elena could hear the door open. "I'm sorry. I should have waited until you were back before getting in the shower but oh my god….it feels so much better. Did you get…what?" Elena questioned realizing Tseng was just standing there, dripping with rainwater staring at her.

"Oh, oh….it's….nothing. I'm…I'm sorry. It's just…I've never seen your legs…like that….before." Tseng said awkwardly. Elena looked down, suddenly self-conscious.

"Huh?" she asked not really understanding where Tseng was coming from.

"I'm…I'm sorry….I always see you in a suit." Tseng finally said.

"Oh! Oh, that!" Elena laughed sweetly. "Yeah, I…I don't sleep in my suit." She said. Tseng sat the umbrella aside so it wouldn't drip water all over the carpet.

"Here, I'll take your gauze. I put your bags on the bed. Just hang your coat on top of mine. Do you need to charge your phone? There's an outlet over…" Elena stopped mid sentence. Tseng was staring at her again. "Tseng, are you okay?"

"Yeah, yeah…yeah I'm fine…I'm so sorry…I'm just…a little distracted. Um, I hate to ask you this but…after I get out of the shower would you help me wrap these gauze? The nurses did it for me in the hospital but…I can't wrap it correctly myself."

"Of course, I'll help you." Elena said.

"I swear Elena…I owe you." Tseng said leaving his shoes near Elena's before emptying the contents of his pockets on the small table beside the couch. He searched his own bag before leaving for the show just as Elena had done. It was vital he wash the healing wounds out every day and tonight was no exception. As Elena heard the water turn on, she shot her eyes over to the table: wallet, a bottle of pills, cell phone and the beautiful watch that Reeve had given Tseng. She picked up the bottle of pills and read the possible side effects: drowsiness, headache, abdominal pain, blurred vision, and nausea. It seemed like pretty typical side effects. Elena picked up his watch, admiring the beautiful oyster inlay. It was so stunning and she knew in her heart it was Veld's way of promoting Tseng to director upon his own resignation. She looked at the back of it. There was an engraving: _ShinRa's Finest._ She smiled and wondered if Rufus's old man had once given this very watch to Veld and then that would perhaps explain how Reeve got it. She laid it back in its spot thinking how true a statement that engraving was.

Elena had just now noticed that the red light from outside was a bit harsh and so she leaned over the small couch and pulled the sheer curtains over the window, causing a pinkish hue to leak in. She started unfolding the blanket over the small couch. Truthfully, she wondered how she would comfortably sleep on this small sofa tonight. She knew she would manage, it was only for tonight after all. Once she had the couch arranged, she tugged on the covers of the bed. She knew how exhausted Tseng was and she just wanted settling in for him to be easier. Elena couldn't imagine the hell he had been through in the past three months and she wasn't about to tell him how Reno and Rude had done pretty much nothing but goof off for the past three months. She had been feeling so alone regarding missions and the seriousness of them compared to her colleagues. Even though Tseng wasn't here to investigate or get overly involved; she was so happy he had left Midgar for Wutai.

"Do you to sleep on an incline or anything? I won't need both pillows." Elena said as Tseng finally emerged.

"It's fine. The flatter the better actually." He sighed. "Alright. You ready to do this?" He asked her referring to the wrapping of his bandages.

"Yeah sure how do you….wow…" Elena let it slip out. She didn't mean to look up and realize that Tseng pretty damn hot when he was half naked. It didn't matter that he was wrapped tightly in waterproof adhesive bandages as the base layer and it didn't matter what was left of his deep bruising was still visible under the bandages. He…was slimly sculpted and without flaw. Wet hair fell forward over his shoulders; the dampness of it making it look even blacker than it already was.

"Should I turn this light out?" Tseng asked her tying the cloth string of his gray flannel pants. Elena found herself examining his motions far too closely. She should have been opening up the package of gauze bandages or answering Tseng's question, but instead she was too occupied eyeing her gorgeous boss.

"Um…yeah….yeah you can turn it off." Elena finally said. It was a stupid choice because that left only the pink veil that was cast throughout the room. "Clearly, that was the wrong answer." Elena said nervously as she realized how much the ambience had changed with the florescent light out. She quickly flipped the nearby lamp on and reached for the gauze. "Okay…so…how do I do this?" Elena asked nervously moving closer to Tseng.

"Just start under this arm and wrap it around. The waterproof strips are what's truly holding everything in place. The gauze is to prevent any kind of bleeding and to protect me from…well…sticking to stuff and getting the adhesive dirty." Tseng explained.

"So…where…where can I touch you without breaking things." Elena asked wondering how the hell she was going to do this without letting her trembling hands mess this up. Tseng laughed at her.

"It's fine, really. You're not going to hurt a thing. Everything is way compressed. You can touch the adhesive like this, see?" Tseng said taking her hand and putting pressure on his chest. The right side is almost healed. All those ribs were broken. Elena looked up at him. She had never really looked in to those deep brown eyes, with wisdom and experience well beyond their years, until right now. "I'll hold the edge to get it started." Tseng said slightly raising his right arm and holding down the edge with his left hand. Elena looked up at him again as she began the first wrap. She could smell the clean scent of shampoo lingering in his wet hair. His was skin shockingly soft under her fingertips as she grazed the edges of his back just above the adhesive bandages. He was four inches taller than her and as she put her arms around him, wrapping the sterile gauze securely in place the tips of her hair brushed just underneath his collarbone. Tseng's eyes followed the deep V in Elena's cardigan as her body shifted to the left and right. He found himself wanting to brush his fingers over the bare skin of her neck and her collarbone. Not in a creepy fetish kind of way…he just wanted to see what she felt like. He, of course, didn't act on the thought. Elena's thigh brushed against soft flannel. She was pretty certain she had _never_ stood this closely to Tseng, but she liked it. He noticed she was about halfway done and the metal clasps that would hold the gauze in place were nowhere to be seen.

"So, do I just use this roll of gauze or more than one?" Elena wondered looking at the other two boxes.

"Just the one will be fine. The other two will cover me for the next couple days until we get back to Midgar. I need to find those metal clasps though.

"Gotcha covered. There was a set in the box." Elena said nodding her head toward the otherwise empty box on the bed. Tseng smiled.

"You're always one step ahead." He said putting his hand on her shoulder. He didn't mean to shift the soft cotton fabric but couldn't help doing so as she shifted her arms. His heart seemingly skipped a beat as he realized she wasn't wearing a bra underneath the supple fabric. He swallowed hard and quickly pulled his hand away from her.

"Tseng…" Elena paused as she glanced up at him. "You uh…you are so…" Elena shook her head quickly. "You're a nice guy, Tseng." Elena turned as pink as the light that was filtering in to the room. She wasn't sure why she said it and it wasn't _exactly_ ver batim what she wanted to say. The words in her head were more like: You're so incredibly sexy but the words that came out were a thousand times safer. Elena was now nearing the bottom of his ribs, swiping the last of the gauze around him. "Just hold that for a minute and I'll get the clasps." She said leaving her hand where she wanted Tseng to hold it. Elena stepped around him and got the clasps, pushing them in to place on his left side. "All done." She said lighting rubbing her hands over the freshly wrapped area. She looked up at Tseng again. The ends of his hair were beginning to dry.

"You're hair dries perfectly straight doesn't it?" she asked noticing that it was beginning to lay just as flat and straight as it would have had it been dry.

"It does." Tseng answered her carefully studying, soft brown eyes. The heat kicked on in the room much to Elena's liking. It was starting to get a bit cool and Tseng knew the heat would put him to sleep instantly. This would be the first night he would spend outside those bitter hospital walls. "Sleep well, okay? I'd say goodnight 'sir' but um…I think we're long past that." She said laughing.

"Elena, we were long past 'sir' anything after the Temple." He sighed. "I'm so relieved to finally get some sleep away from that damn hospital."

"I'm happy for you…boss." She winked at him and laughed. "Wake me if you need anything. I'm a light sleeper." She said turning off the lamp. Elena's cardigan looked pink in the light as she curled up into the blanket on the sofa.

Tseng settled in to the most comfortable cotton nest he had felt in months. He stared at the slightly pink ceiling above him, relieved that it wasn't those horrible fluorescent bulbs. That was part of the torture of having to sleep flat on your back…staring at those damn bulbs. The sound of the rain and the sound of the heat had him half asleep in no time.

" 'Night Elena." He whispered mostly to himself. He didn't expect her to actually hear him.


	2. Wet Dreams May Come

It was 2:00 in the morning. Neither Tseng nor Elena had budged from the moment they had laid down. The rain had turned to sleet through the night and was hitting the window in arrhythmic sheets. The room was completely silent otherwise…until Tseng jumped and was awoken seemingly violently from a sound sleep. His eyes shot wide open and immediately he was gasping for air and clenching sweaty fists. Naturally, Elena woke in a panic. She wasn't kidding when she said she was a light sleeper. Of course, the way Tseng had woken was sudden and it was obvious he wasn't waking from a pleasant dream. His body trembled and he was covered in sweat.

"Tseng! Tseng are you okay? Hey…hey, it's okay…." Elena threw the blanket off her and hurried over to the edge of the bed. She sat on the edge and reached her hands out to him. It was a complete reflex. She thought perhaps he had woken so violently because he was in pain and needed another pill. She quickly got up and snatched the bottle off the small table however she noticed a separate label on the bottle she hadn't seen earlier that night. WARNING: MAY CAUSE HALUCINATIONS. She read the added sticker in the pink light. She put the bottle on the nightstand. "Here, here….sit up. Are you okay?" She asked holding on to Tseng's shoulders as he sat up. He hadn't yet regained his breath. She noticed how sweaty he was and so she got up again to run some cool water over a washcloth. Elena could see the terrified look on his face. She sat down near him and wiped the cool cloth over his forehead and around his neck. She wiped down his shoulders as he began breathing easier.

"I…I'm…sorry…" he uttered closing his eyes as Elena drug the cool cloth over his skin.

"Ssshhhh…stay still. I think…I think you must have had a bad dream." She said softly. Tseng could feel his racing pulse slowly returning to normal. He took a couple deep breaths.

"It's…terrible…" he took another breath. His skin was becoming less clammy as Elena helped cool him down.

"Lie down…here." Elena pulled the covers from his clammy body and pushed Tseng back in to his pillow. She handed the washcloth over to him. "Relax, it's okay." He looked around the room as if to regain his bearings, relieved that he woke up here with Elena. His breaths were returning to normal.

"I've…been having this awful, awful dream. It's a side effect of those damn pills. I'm falling….backwards out of a helicopter…and Aerith is there. She's waving her arms at me and screaming something from the helicopter that I can't decipher. I just keep falling faster and faster. I never hit the bottom…I just….I fall until…until I turn around and come face to face with him….with Sephiroth. I'm pretty sure that….every time in the dream I'm dead when I face him…that's always when I wake up. The longer and farther I fall…the more exhausted I am when I wake." Tseng explained his recurring nightmare. "I started having that dream right after the accident when I began taking the pills." Tseng took another deep breath as he calmed himself down. He pushed himself up again, sitting beside Elena.

"Do you want a drink of water or something? She asked sincerely.

"No, it's okay. I'm so sorry to have woken you." He said apologetically.

"It's alright. That must feel awful…to have that dream I mean. Elena watched his face become more relaxed. They sat there in silence as Tseng felt his pulse finally slow. Elena chilled a little feeling that perhaps the heat hadn't kicked on for a while. She pulled her cardigan back over her shoulder, noticing that her entire shoulder was bare from where she had gotten up so quickly. After a few moments, Tseng had regained his composure and cooled off once more. It was as if he had never had such a vivid dream. Seeing that he was much calmer Elena reached for the bottle of pills again. "I guess it's pretty stupid to ask if you're ready for another one of these, huh?" she asked. Tseng smiled at her.

"Ill be okay through the night." He reassured her. Tseng stared at Elena, her cardigan had once again shifted slightly, revealing her bare shoulder. "You're really beautiful." He said. Maybe it was the surge of heightened emotions running through him that made him say it. Tseng had thought it to himself but saying it out loud was scarier.

"Hush, that's part of those hallucinations your medicine warns of." Elena smiled as she teased him.

"No, I mean it. You are…just so…beautiful." Tseng repeated. Since he was so candid with her, Elena knew she could be just as candid with him.

"You're not exactly hard to look at, Tseng." She said. She stared at him as she said it. He was pushing the washcloth behind his neck again. "Here, let's pull this hair off your neck." Elena said as she moved slightly behind him. Putting her hands into long black hair sent a fire throughout her body that she didn't expect. She wound it around in her hand and pulled it off his neck. Tseng pushed the cool cloth over the back of his neck; feeling relief in it's coolness. Elena pulled her fingers through dark hair repeatedly. It was hard telling if the feeling were more hypnotic to her or to Tseng. He tilted his head back as Elena pulled her fingers backwards. As brown eyes, met even browner ones; it was apparent to Tseng that Elena was some kind of secret savior…the reassurance and comfort that he had needed for months…maybe even years. Her skin gave off a soft glow in the painted pastel light. He looked utterly exhausted after waking up from a tormented dream. Elena could feel the remnants of Tseng's breath in her face. She nervously bit her lower lip as her eyes burned in to his. She swallowed hard as her lower lip trembled slightly. Without any warning, soft fingertips grazed her cheek, bringing her lips into his. It was awkward at first, with her lips looming on Tseng's and her breath shaking. He put his hand on the back of her head forcing her lips harder in to his. Now….it became a kiss, and not just any kiss. It turned quickly heated, hungry and with earnest. It was a collision of his tongue on hers with heavy sighs escaping them both. Elena could feel her body become weak as she let her other hand drift over Tseng's cheek and into long, soft hair. Their kiss was far more passionate than either of them had planned, so intense and desperate. Elena reluctantly pulled her lips away slightly to regain her breath and deal with the shock of what had just happened. Her eyes were still locked on his as her body shook subtly in a combination of nerves, excitement and uncertainty of what the hell was going to happen next. She shook a little more as Tseng pushed her blonde hair behind her ear and slowly pushed his hand down her neck and over her shoulder until it was resting in the middle of her back. She nervously left her hands where they were because she didn't want to risk putting unnecessary pressure on his ribs.

"I'm sorry…how the…" she couldn't finish her sentence because Tseng had pulled her lips in to hers once again. She could feel one hand move slightly over her back and another tentatively touch her bare shoulder. Elena froze exactly where she was, feeling her body go from weak to ignited as his hands slid over her. Tseng's lips moved from hers to the side of her cheek and down to her neck. Elena sighed with a hint of whimper in her voice.

"Get on top of me." Tseng told her barely above a whisper. He continued kissing he neck softly. Elena sighed again.

"I can't…I…I can't do that…you're hurt. What if…" Tseng interrupted her.

"Ssshhh…." he hushed her calmly as he worked his way to her lips again. "It's okay…come on…get on me." He told her again. The words made Elena burn between her thighs. Absolutely she wanted to get on top of him, but she was scared to death to put any kind of weight on him anywhere. Her warm breath hit his ear.

"Tseng…" she whispered softly. She could feel him lightly tug on her arm. Elena looked at him as she gave in to temptation. She didn't take her eyes off him as she put her hands on either side of Tseng's neck. She was careful to make certain she kept the weight of her body supported on her arms and off of him. Elena gasped softly as she straddled him. She consciously made an effort to keep any part of her from touching him. She was tense all over in doing so. Elena was even tenser as she felt Tseng's hand make its way toward the center of her back and down toward her waist. He pressed on the small of her back, forcing her hips to relax in to him. Elena's mouth fell open but sound failed to escape her as she felt much more than she had anticipated. She ground her hips in to his without even thinking. It was a reflex. Elena watched as Tseng tilted his head back into the pillow behind him; his eyes were closed and a deep sigh escaped him. Elena could feel herself sweating and an insatiable throbbing between her legs. Of course, she wasn't the only one dealing with an insatiable throb. Tseng traced his hands over her hips and unbuttoned the bottom button of her cardigan. She moved a hand over the side of his face and down his neck. There had hardly been a word uttered between them as they read each other's minds. Elena could see lust in his eyes. She wanted him and she was pretty damn certain that he wanted her even more. She wondered if Tseng had been with a woman any time recently. She was pretty sure it had been a while. She felt the next button of her cardigan come undone. Elena gently pulled her hand over his bandaged chest…lower…and lower. She watched for Tseng to resist her as her hand slowly crept down his body….he didn't.

"Don't stop…come on…" Tseng's voice could barely be heard. Elena let her hand slide between his legs. What she got, was a divine reaction. She suddenly felt her entire body relax, a certain degree of control overcame her. Elena left her hand in place but shifted herself forward so that her lips nearly touched his ear. Tseng shoved his hands ever so slightly underneath her cardigan, unbuttoning another button. He let his fingertips graze tender skin.

"Would it excite you…if I took it out?" Her lips grazed his neck as he surrendered to her sweet seduction.

"Oh god you're turnin' me on…" He said softly through slightly clenched teeth. Elena laughed sweetly.

"I think you've already been in the on position, baby." He thought he was going to dissolve under her hands. No woman in his life had ever called him baby. Elena tugged on the tied string of his pants.

"I wanna fuck you." Tseng's voice was still low and hardly audible. Elena laughed again.

"We can't do that, you're hurt." She reminded him.

"Yes…yes we can." He said unbuttoning another button of her cardigan. There was only one left. His hands caressed her bare stomach, studying every line of her. He wanted to slip his fingertips into the top of her shorts but he refrained for the time being. Elena gasped as she realized the now cool air of the room was hitting her skin. She didn't realize just how many buttons Tseng had gotten to. Elena kissed him.

"We can't, baby…we can't." Elena said again.

"But we can…come on…you won't hurt me." He reiterated to her. Elena couldn't fight it anymore. She wanted to fuck him as badly as he wanted to fuck her. Elena pushed herself up so that she was still straddling him but sitting upright.

"Tell me something…sir. When was the last time you were with a woman?" Elena asked as she unbuttoned the last button on her cardigan. She let the fabric fall loosely, revealing nothing but naked skin from her neck, between her breasts, and down to her stomach. Everything else was still covered. She watched his eyes burn with anticipation as he thought about how beautiful she must be naked.

"A while…" he answered her. Elena smiled.

"That's what I thought." She said shedding her white cardigan and letting her hands trace her own curves before coming to rest over Tseng's hands. "I'm sure you're dying to get your hands on a set of these." She said rather boldly; moving his hands to her firm and very aroused breasts. Tseng let out a long sigh as he touched her; moving his hands all over her and getting a clear eyeful of possibly the most beautiful body he'd ever seen in his life.

"Holy….shit you're…you're perfect. My god…you're…ooooh shit." He uttered rather incoherently. Elena smiled as she shifted herself to one side and peeled her slinky short shorts off her hips. She threw them to the floor after wrestling them over her knees.

"You can keep those if you want…" she laughed slightly. "Are you in to that kind of thing? Are you filthy like that? You can tell me if you are…" she laughed again. "…because I wanna be part of the collection." Tseng didn't even know that Elena was capable of such a twisted thought but he played along with her because she was driving him crazy like no other woman ever had.

"Well, that depends…were they wet when you took 'em off?" Elena straddled him again, reaching for his hand.

"Find out for yourself." She said shoving his hand between her thighs. She watched as his mouth hung open at what he felt.

"The wettest…" she said softly, stating the obvious. Her body trembled as he touched her. The heat kicked on again sending a rush of warm air against Elena's skin. It was obvious this wasn't Tseng's first time…his hands had been on a woman before but the real question now was could he figure out how to touch _this _woman? Elena cried out a little louder than even she had anticipated…hell yes he could figure out _exactly_ how she wanted to be touched. She quickly grabbed his hand and pulled it away…maybe he was a little too good in fact; the way his fingertips rubbed against her in such an intense and fast motion. Her hand shook as she held on to his in her firm grip.

"You've always warned me…not to play with a loaded gun…but it's okay…when it's yours…right boss? Do you like it…when I call you boss?" She didn' wait for an answer. "How 'bout I call you boss when you fuck me?" Elena was part pink-shaded goddess and part red-soaked vixen. She didn't break her stare as she slid soft cotton pants off his hips in eager anticipation. She let her hands carefully slide up his chest, and her lips slowly slide down a firm shaft until her mouth was full. The only thing hotter than a woman going down on you was a woman making eye contact _while_ she was going down on you. It was apparent to Tseng that she was enjoying this as much as he was…even hotter…

She delighted in the desperate look on his face and the way his restrained chest heaved at the feeling of her mouth. Elena moved a free hand slowly down his body once again until she had her fingers wrapped around a swollen shaft. She didn't allow her hand to play too long before pulling both her hand and her mouth away breathlessly. She smiled and laughed again as she drew the back of her hand across her mouth. She was in complete control right now and Tseng wouldn't have wanted it any other way. She repositioned her body, gritting her teeth as she slowly sunk down on him. Tseng wasn't the only one for whom it had been awhile and her body was reminding her of this. Heavy breath escaped her as she fought herself to relax her lower back. Elena put her hands on his hips while she adjusted her own.

"You have to hold still, baby. You're hurt from the waist up…but horny from the waist down." He put his hands on hers, mainly because he couldn't reach her breasts. Her body rolled in a slow, grinding rhythm. She looked divine, experienced, and honestly; as if she were about to have the time of her life. Elena's thighs were strong as steel thanks to all that damn training. She would have no problem maintaining a hard rhythm on him. Sure Elena was an eyeful to look at right now, but even more powerful was the fact she and Tseng had their eyes locked. It was painfully challenging to lay there and not move from the waist up but at the same time it was more than arousing to watch…and feel…Elena do _all _the work.

She rocked her body on him faster, taking his right hand and shoving his fingers hard on her. "Like that." She lipped the words, hardly any sound escaping them as she moved his fingers exactly how she wanted. Aside from her instructions, there wasn't a word uttered between them. Instead, a collision of his deep, heated breath and hers filled the already hot air. Tseng listened to her recurring pants with the hint of a faint girlish whimper escaping her before she would inhale again. It was a thrill to see Elena enjoying herself that much. Elena closed her eyes and tilted her head back, blonde hair tickling her neck. She could feel her entire body moving with him, hard and fast. With her eyes closed briefly, she focused intently on the sound and pace of his breath…shallower, and shallower; faster and shorter. She could see him clearly fighting back his own orgasm. Elena was too deliciously tight, her motions too fluid, and the sight of her toned body pleasuring him too erotic to fight it off much longer. Tseng squeezed her left hip, digging his fingers into the bone. He wanted to hiss the stream of filth that was running through his mind out loud to her but right now his brain wasn't exactly making the connection.

Elena's steady panting was turning in to a heated slightly high pitched moan. The closer she came to her own climax the more it excited Tseng. He could see it in her face. She was going to give in to his touch and the feeling of him consuming her and it was going to happen fast. Tseng always liked it when a woman came before him…not that he was accustomed to such a thing…but it always exhilarated him. He watched her with heavy eyes; still not saying a word. Her sweet panting had turned in to a near wail though soft in nature. He watched and listened to her as she threw her head back and rode him out. Tseng could feel her body hitch against him, and the desperate moan that escaped her was completely involuntary, and laced with euphoria. Even more, the only words that left her mouth in the wake of her pleasure were so strangely filthy and weakening; that it sent Tseng over the edge of self-control. Elena felt her body flood within a matter of seconds after giving in to herself. Tseng dug his fingers even harder into her hip as a deep groan escaped him. He would instantly breathless and Elena could feel his pulse race against her in his wrist.

Her chest heaved in bliss as she once again made eye-contact with Tseng. He wouldn't dare break this intensely passionate silence by telling her; but he thought Elena looked gorgeous bathed in sultry pink-stained light. Even more so, he wouldn't dare admit how the only words she uttered: a breathy and aroused 'oh' followed by an uninhibited and raw 'yeah boss' had left him completely debilitated and at her mercy. It was apparent to him that she had probably fantasized about screaming for him like that a hundred times before with her hand between her legs, lying in the middle of her 800-thread-count bronze colored sheets and wearing nothing more than sheer-black thigh high stockings. But wait, that was Tseng's fantasy pretty much brought to life just now that he only hoped she too shared.

Elena could see the flushness in his face and the weakness in his chest. She could see a man who hadn't done _that _in…well, a while. A wet mess moistened the inside of her thigh as she pulled her body off of him. Elena gracefully sat beside him all the while keeping her arms on either side of his head. She had carefully repositioned herself to ensure she didn't touch his bandaged chest. Tseng reached a hand up to her face and pulled her lips down to meet his. Elena rested her forehead against his after tenderly pulling her lips away from his.

"My god that was so hot." Tseng told her quietly.

"That was the best sex I've ever had…I mean that." She answered him.

"Have you thought about it? You know, with me, I mean?" he had to know as he reached his arms around her neck.

"All the time." Elena confessed. Tseng could feel a thousand feelings rush through him all at once.

"Let me hold you…well, as well as I can anyway." Tseng said realizing he could only somewhat hold her against him due to his damn healing injuries.

"I want nothing more than for you to do exactly that, but first I have to go across the street and take care of the mess between my thighs." Elena told him kissing him again.

"What do you mean?" he asked her, putting his hands on her back.

"As much as I think you are the sexiest man alive, I don't want your child…and right now I have about a million and a half chances of getting one of those inside of me." Elena said digging her fingers into his hair.

"No, no, no…don't go. I'll go for you. What do you need? Morning after pill?" he asked her.

"Yes. And no, Tseng. Lie here. You're dry, your warm, and you're sexy as hell. When we get back to Midgar, you can pamper the hell out of me if you want. But for now, I'm going across the street and you're going to lay right here, naked of course, and wait on me to come back." Elena explained before kissing him again.

"Do you mean that?" he asked a little vulnerably.

"Do I mean what?" she wondered as she reluctantly pulled her body up and walked over to her suitcase.

"What you said…about when we get back to Midgar?" he asked. Elena had never seen this man so stripped of his 'all work' exterior. "I mean, you'd really let me take care of you?" he asked rather meekly.

"Oh boss…" she began rather affectionately. "…I'd let you do anything you want to me." Elena smiled as she slipped the first pair of pants she came too over her hips. She threw the first shirt she came to on just as quickly. She could tell Tseng wanted to talk more about this. She had his mind in a whirl. "I won't be gone long." She said grabbing a key and some money off the table and wrapping herself in Tseng's coat since it was on top of hers. Tseng longed for her from the moment she left the room.

Elena's heart fluttered in excitement as she hurried down the hallway. She thought she would take some precautions. Reno was in room 311 and she had to pass his room to get to the elevator. She took the stairs instead and assumed he probably had some hoe in there with him anyway. God only knew where the hell Rude had ended up tonight. Elena's mind raced as she hurried down the stairwell. "Shit!" she said out loud to herself stopping on the 2nd floor. She had forgotten her umbrella. She decided against going back for it. Sure the sleet was still coming down, but she knew she wouldn't melt with this quick trip. Not to mention, she didn't want to risk running in to Reno or Rude by making an unnecessary trip back upstairs. She quickly made her way to the first floor and through the small lobby, the front desk worker giving her a slight wave as she rushed toward the front door. Once outside on the sidewalk, the now sleet-filled air rushed on her. "Fuck! Oh, fuck! That's…..shit!" was her comment to the ice-laden air. She could see the glowing sign from across the street 'OPEN 24 HOURS'. Her teeth clattered together and she could feel her skin immediately react to the chill through her thin layer of clothes. She wanted to run across the street as she pulled Tseng's coat tighter around her but she knew the roads were slick from sleet and it likely wasn't the best idea. His coat was much too big for her and harsh air crept into the empty spaces. A mixture of pellet-like ice and rain assaulted her as she carefully crossed the street, which was void of traffic at this hour.

She slipped a little in the street as she stepped onto the sidewalk. A small, rusty bell that was hung on the inside of the door clanged against the glass as she walked in. There was a man with his head buried in a book sitting behind a long counter. He was wearing a white lab coat, which indicated he was likely a pharmacist as well. He looked up upon hearing the muted clunk of the bell.

"Lovely weather, ain't it?" the pharmacist asked sarcastically. "What brings ya in on a night like this?"

"Hi. Yeah, it's uh…it's pretty miserable out there. I need a morning after pill, please." She asked of him. He put his book down and Elena read the title: COMING HOME – TRUE STORIES OF THE WAR IN WUTAI.

"Very well. How long has it been?" the pharmacist asked her as he opened up a drawer.

"Well, my panties are still pretty sloppy and warm does that tell you anything?" Elena asked. Tseng always did say she talked too much. The pharmacist laughed at her. It was just the kind of statement he needed to hear at 3:00 in the morning and it was impossible not to laugh.

"You're all right. Here you go, you got nothin' to worry about. Pop this as soon as you can and it'll do the trick." The pharmacist said handing over a small box to Elena. It seemed silly to package one pill in such a large box.

"So, who's the lucky guy?" The pharmacist asked her. Elena smiled as she dug around in Tseng's coat pocket for the money she had shoved in there.

"My boss." She replied, glowing all over.

"Is he gonna get lucky again?" it was seemingly an intrusive question but the pharmacist had something in mind.

"Oh, I'm sure he will…I'm sure he will." She answered him.

"Here. On me. Believe me, these are a hell of a lot better than a latex raincoat. You have a good night." He said shoving another box toward her. Elena laughed.

"Thank you. I'll uh…I'll tell my boss these are as per your recommendation." Elena said shoving the other box into her pocket before walking toward the door.

"Hey, wait. He a classy guy?" the pharmacist asked. Elena blushed a little.

"Very much." She said.

"In that case, he already knows. You have a good night." He said before picking up his book again. Elena left into the cold and desolate Wutai street once again. She gave a glance in both directions as she tried her best to shove her hands up inside Tseng's coat. As she crossed the street she looked up noticing the vertical red INN sign that was the source of the red light steaming through the sheer white curtains of the room she had left only minutes before. She couldn't help but smile in exhilaration at the thought of Tseng lying there underneath the covers waiting for her to return. Her hair had been partially soaked by the falling combination of sleet and rain. She pulled the door open and returned to the safety of the lobby of the inn. She quickly made her way across the lobby to the back stairwell. She grabbed the handrail with icy hands as she made her way up the stairs quickly, taking some two at a time. Elena was still scared she may run in to Reno or Rude. If she did, she feared how she would explain being out at 3:00 in the morning. She was coming close to the door that lead out to the second floor from the stairwell. One more flight to go.

My apologies for any typos, I proofread this very quickly


	3. Reassigned

He was exactly as she had left him. She shook all over with chill as she peeled Tseng's coat and hung it over hers once more. She took the contents out of the pockets. "From the pharmacist." She threw the box at him as she walked toward the bed. Elena laid the other box near Tseng and went into the bathroom to get one of the unused glasses near the sink. She quickly returned to his side with the glass half full.

"Lambskin. Beats the hell out of latex…you'll see." Tseng told her.

"That's exactly what the pharmacist said." Elena laughed a little as she opened up the other box.

"Why did he give you these?" Tseng asked of her as she opened up the foil packed pill. She threw it in her mouth and quickly swallowed it down with big swig of water.

"I told him you were gonna get lucky again and he gave me these." Elena said sitting the glass on the nightstand beside the bed. Tseng smiled at her.

"You know the responsible thing, would have been for me to get a box of those _before_ we had unbelievable sex." She laughed again.

"For now, the pill I just swallowed will handle all the responsibility that one of those would have handled. So, you know…you and I are gonna have a hell of a lot of fun….fifteen times." Elena winked at him and pulled her shirt over her head. She threw it to the floor where her white cardigan still laid. She shivered again as she stood up and shed her long pants as well.

"Come here. I'll get you warm." Elena smiled and got underneath the covers. She carefully let her hand creep across his stomach as she rested her head on his shoulder. "God, all I want to do is hold you and I can't." Tseng said as he awkwardly tried to get an arm around Elena as he had wanted to earlier when she left to go across the street. His body was warm and Elena's hands were still so cold.

"Mmmm…you _are_ gonna get me warm." There was silence between them for a moment as the sound of the heater filled the room.

"I think I could lay like this with you forever. When we get back to Midgar….ooooh god when we get back to Midgar." He said softly.

"What?" Elena asked. She never thought in a thousand years she would be in a Wutai inn on assignment yet under the covers with the man she adored completely naked. In her mind, she had always had a fantasy of Tseng fucking her on his desk in his office and that's how she had always thought they would get together. In her mind, she pictured the two of them working late, their jackets thrown aside and their ties loosened. She had an image of the two of them pushing paperwork and talking about their favorite red wines; a conversation that would always turn dirty and end up with her half naked on his desk with her legs spread. But what they had actually _done_ and what they were doing now had been a thousand times better than that.

"Oh, Elena…I can't even say out loud to you the things I wanna do to you when we get back to Midgar." He admitted to her.

"Maybe I wanna know. Come on, Tseng…there is nothing in that mind of yours that is remotely filthier than what I've thought about doing to you." Elena said laughing. She carefully reached her hand across her chest.

"I love to hear you laugh. It's so sweet." He said pulling his fingers through her hair.

"When do the bandages come off?" she asked.

"Three weeks." He answered her. "And let me tell you Elena….when these bandages come off….my god, how I'm gonna….fuckin' wreck you." She turned delightfully as pink as the filtered light. She had never heard her superior so candid and so honest….she loved it. Tseng was normally so polite, so articulate and refined beyond words. She loved the primal part of him that never surfaced in public. It was a primal side that only Elena could awaken.

"Oooh wow…I will uh…I will completely look forward to that." Elena said. "So tell me…you took me to dinner tonight. What do you say, I cook for you when we get back to Midgar?"

"That depends…do you cook like you fuck?" he asked her. Elena laughed.

"Tseng, I haven't been with a man for sixteen months. Right now, I cook much better than I fuck."

"Why haven't you had sex in sixteen months?" he asked her.

"The same reason you haven't had sex in…" Elena paused and shook her head.

"Okay yeah, I get your point. Well, Elena, there are fifteen condoms sitting over there. I'd rather you fuck better than you cook and there's plenty of practice in that box. Although, I have to say you don't need any practice." Tseng said. Elena smiled and pushed herself up so she could turn around and face him.

"Oh you big, powerful director, you…you think _that's _my best work? Tseng, you should know me better than that." Her eyes glowed with excitement as she looked at him. "You get those bandages off…" she laughed. "I'll turn your nights in to somethin' you've never had before." Tseng swore that he felt the color fall from his face. He didn't say anything. "That's exactly the reaction I had hoped for."

"I uh…I need you…in my life. You know…more than…just being this partner of mine that goes on missions with me. We've been though a lot of shit. Don't think that…I'm after one thing from you, okay?" Tseng was painfully sincere. Perhaps it was his already fragile post-orgasmic, hormonal rush or maybe it was because deep down he had known for a while that Elena was much more than just his partner. But admitting such things out loud was scary and Tseng hated more than anything confronting how he felt.

"Oh my god, listen to you! I've never heard you sound so vulnerable, Tseng. Mr. All Business, Mr. Tough all Over, Mr…Rufus Shinra's Right Hand. You're somethin' else when you're stripped down of all those facades. If you were after one thing from me you wouldn't want to be held so badly." Was Elena's response.

"Wait…wait…time out. What makes you think I want you to hold me? And what makes you think I'm vulnerable?" he asked with narrowed eyes.

"Because you're fighting it so intensely. You have to stay nice and flat on your back and that's killing you. You've already said the only thing you wanted to do was hold me. Because you know, that if you put your arms around me…I'll put my arms around you. I know, I talk too much…but sometimes you don't talk enough therefore I'm doing all the talking for you. So, to sum up…you want so much more than one thing from me. But we had to _do_ the one _thing_ in order to break all the tension." Elena said. She was right; she had been dead on about everything.

"It's scary….how well you see right through my vulnerability." Tseng told her. She smiled her comforting smile again.

"It's okay, I wont' tell a soul." Elena said softly before pressing her lips into his. "It's late baby, get some rest." Tseng looked at the clock over Elena's shoulder: 3:53.

"What time is checkout tomorrow?" he asked.

"12:00." She answered him.

"Good, we have plenty of time to stay right here." Tseng said closing his eyes.

"But, what about the assignment?" Elena asked. "I need to get investigating tomorrow."

"Forget about it. Reno and Rude will do it." Tseng assured her.

"But, sir…" Elena began. It was habit. Hell she had called him sir for over a year even though what Tseng had said was quite true…they were well beyond 'sir.' "…I mean…yeah, okay. Reno and Rude can do that and I'll do…well…whatever you want me to do." Elena said as she nestled in beside him. "Good night Tseng. Sleep well."

"I will…believe me…I will." He answered her before soon drifting off.

* * *

><p>There was a loud knock at the door. Pale light trickled weakly in to the room as the faint January sun peaked over the rugged Wutai mountain range outside. There was another knock, even louder this time. It startled Elena. She awoke suddenly with weary eyes as she peered around the semi-dark room. There was a third knock.<p>

"Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit!" Elena mumbled as she quickly and clumsily practically fell out of bed. She had been in a deep slumber at Tseng's side. Tseng awakened at her unexpected and abrupt stir.

"What's going on?" he mumbled still half asleep.

"Just…here!" Elena threw the covers over him and made certain his clothes couldn't be seen before she awkwardly scoured the floor for her cardigan. She put in on in a hurry as there was yet another knock. She quickly threw on Tseng's pants after kicking them from view because she had no idea where the hell her own had gotten to. She tied them as tightly as she could around her waist but they were still falling off of her as she hurried over to the door and dead bolted it before opening it.

"Whoa….what the hell have you been doing? You look….like you woke up in the middle of the night and got thrown around your bed or something. You hungover?" Reno asked her referring to her tossed around hair and overall messy appearance.

"Yes….yes that's it….I….am hung over." Elena answered him.

"So….you like….gonna let me in?" he asked.

"NO! What do you want?" Elena semi-snapped at him.

"It's 7:12. We need to get going." Reno said.

"Oh…..oh, yeah….about that….I've uh….I've been…reassigned." Elena said trying not to make eye contact with Reno.

"Huh? What do you mean? We're supposed to be at the Northern Crater today by 1:00. Tseng wants us there no later." He said.

"Well, I've….been reassigned! I have a new assignment! You and Rude are doing the Northern Crater thing!" Elena said as happily as she could despite that she was more than livid over him waking her.

"What the hell! What's your assignment? Where are you going?" Reno asked. Elena laughed a bit. The last person she wanted to deal with this morning was Reno.

"To paradise…" she answered softly before laughing again.

"What the fuck! You're going to Costa del Sol!" Reno asked, jealous over her new orders.

"Yes…yes, I…am going to…Costa del Sol! Boss's orders, you know?" She said convincingly.

"Oh my god…I always knew he had a thing for you….send you to Costa and send me an' Rude to the damn Crater! I love Costa del Sol!" Reno laughed stupidly. "They got some killer pina coladas down there. Those things can kick your ass they make 'em so strong! Shit….when do you leave?" Reno asked.

"Oh, you know….at…noon or something?' Elena said scratching the back of her head and clearing the back of her throat at the same time. "What do you mean….Tseng havin' a thing for me?" she asked playing dumb. Reno sighed.

"I'm not supposed to tell you at all…. He thinks you're hot. You're a natural blonde….shit, does he have a blonde fetish. I mean, let me tell ya' when you showed up…listen, he will own my ass if he knew I just told you that."

"I won't say a word." Elena whispered, but she couldn't contain her smile. "Okay, are we done here? I need to get back to bed."

"Why you goin' back to bed?" Reno just HAD to know.

"Because it's fun under the covers." Elena said smiling again.

"Whatever. I guess we'll see you in Midgar." Reno said before leaving Elena. She quickly closed the door and leaned up against it; letting out a long sigh. Tseng pulled the blankets down and pushed himself up to a sitting position. "I'm sorry. Couldn't risk Reno seeing you. Then he would have a minimum of a hundred questions."

"Do you always look like that in the morning?" Tseng asked her.

"Like what?" Elena asked peering out the curtain at the bleak, gray, January morning.

"Like…really, really sexy." Tseng said honestly. Elena turned around and walked toward the edge of the bed.

"I don't suppose so because I'm normally not wearing your pants in the morning." She sat down and leaned over, putting her hand on Tseng's cheek. She kissed him tenderly. "I don't normally taste you in the mornings either." She let her forehead rest against his as her hand drifted into dark hair. She kissed him again. "I could get used to it, you know." Her voice was hushed and comforting as she kissed him again. His breath collided with hers.

"I've never felt so frail." Tseng admitted putting his hands gently around her neck.

"Me neither." Elena said brushing her forehead against his again.

"You should wear my clothes more often. 'Cause I won't lie…you cause a man problems when he sees you wearing his own clothes." Elena smiled as her blonde hair tickled Tseng's neck.

"Well, maybe…if you're lucky, one night I'll play dress up in your bed. Some of my clothes, go quite well with your clothes if you know what I mean." Elena said letting her fingers comb long hair as her nails lightly scratched his back. Tseng swallowed hard.

"I have never been so turned on at 7:30 in the morning. My god, Elena…" Tseng admitted to her letting his hands trace over her shoulders. She pulled his head underneath hers, laying her cheek into a sea of black. "How about you lie down here with me and I'll tell you all about my blonde fetish and what I thought of you the first time I met you?"

Elena adjusted herself pulling Tseng down with her. "That's a wonderful idea. I'll tell you all about what was going through my mind when I first met you. Then we should go get some coffee." Elena said, her hand still on his face.


	4. Slave For You

"How have you felt?"

"Great." Tseng answered.

"Any soreness? Are you still taking the medicine?" The Shinra company doctor questioned.

"No, no soreness at all. I stopped taking the pills about a week ago. I'm not experiencing any pain." Tseng explained.

"Well, your x-rays look great. The fractures are no longer visible. The bones have completely refused. It's a clean heal." The doctor said. "If you aren't having any pain you don't have to take the medicine any more. "Now, I'm sure you're dying to get that adhesive off. Go ahead and take your jacket and your shirt off. You're down about fifteen pounds according to your weight chart and I see that..." The doctor flipped some pages on a chart. "…You're five foot nine inches. I realize you probably didn't intend to lose that much but being bedfast, without an appetite, and injured the way you were it's expected. It's in your best interest for someone your height to put that weight back on. Your blood pressure looks good."

"Yeah, I…I didn't want to lose all that weight, it just happened. I'll gain it back at the rate my girl…." Tseng stopped….damn, damn, damn, damn, that was a close one. "…I mean…I have a close friend that can cook anything you dream up. I don't say know to anything _he _fixes." Tseng said lying through his teeth about the gender of his 'close friend'. "And believe me, you have no idea how anxious I am to get these adhesive strips off." Tseng answered him unzipping his jacket and laying it on the exam table beside him.

"I know you've been restrained tremendously. What's the first thing you're going to do when you get these things off?" the doctor asked putting Tseng's file down on the table nearby.

"Oh god, that's easy. I'm going to sleep on my side." It was a good answer. A total lie; but an excellent answer. The doctor laughed.

"It looks like you've taken care of yourself since the accident, have you had someone to help you out?" the doctor asked gathering some supplies and preparing a needle.

"Uh…yeah….yeah, I've had some help." Tseng said removing his tie and unbuttoning his shirt.

"Good. I'm going to first apply this liquid to loosen the adhesive grip. It will make it a a lot more pleasant to remove." The doctor explained cutting the soft cotton gauze away from the tight adhesive that had kept Tseng prisoner for longer than he wanted to remember. "You've done a good job keeping your gauze sterile. You have no idea how many patients I see whose wounds don't heal nearly as quickly because they don't keep their gauze clean." The doctor commented as Tseng's gauze fell in shreds on the metal exam table.

"I'm tellin', you doctor. These bandages have been anything but comfortable.

"I can only imagine. I'm sure the restrictions haven't been pleasant either." He remarked. Tseng laughed.

"It's been inconvenient to say the least."

"Well, you're gonna be a free man in just a few minutes. Okay, this is going to feel rather cold." The doctor said putting down the scissors and picking up a small bottle. He began to let cold liquid pour out of the bottle over the bandages. Tseng flinched a little at the coldness against his skin. "I'm just going to saturate this thoroughly. Believe me, the more I pour over it the easier the adhesive layer comes off. "Do you work out, Tseng?"

"I used to run about two miles daily until the accident." He answered the doctor.

"I wish I had that kind of discipline. You run in this cold weather too?"

"Indoor track, on the SOLDIER training floor. It's a little boring but it forces me to maintain an eight-minute mile.

"That's impressive. You do that for your job?" the doctor asked still soaking him down in the cool liquid.

"It's good if we're able to run a ten minute mile. A twelve minute will do, ten is preferred but I try to keep mine under ten. So I suppose, to answer your question. Yes." Tseng explained.

"That girl that guards the towels on the training floor is pretty cute. She single?" the doctor asked.

"I haven't the slightest." Tseng answered him.

"It's not really any of my business but…you wouldn't hit on a girl like that? She's not at all hard to look at. You have a girlfriend?" The look in Tseng's eyes at the doctor was a sign that Mr. doctor man had gone too far. Tseng could hear the dialogue in his head now: 'Yes, yes I do. Oh, yeah? How'd ya meet her? Well, I'm her boss. How'd you get together? She fucked me crazy while on assignment . We've been together three weeks.' No, there was no way in hell Tseng was going to say a single word. The doctor laughed.

"Understood. You right or left handed?" the doctor asked as he pressed on the adhesive bandages, letting the liquid soak in to the seams and the layers.

"Uh, right handed." Tseng answered.

"Okay, I'm going to pull this arm straight up before I remove these. Tell me if this hurts…." Tseng shook his head. "This?" Tseng shook his head again. "And this way?" Tseng shook his head once more before the doctor repeated the same motions with Tseng's left arm. "Same thing. Tell me if you feel any pain at all." Tseng shook his head once more in each of the position the doctor adjusted his arm in to. "Excellent. Be glad you're bare chested, otherwise this would be pretty painful even with this solvent. I'm going to snip the bandages all the way up, here, here, here, and here. I'll take them off in sections and apply more solvent if we need it." The doctor explained his process. He made the first cut from the bottom of Tseng's ribs on his side all the way up until he was nearly underneath Tseng's arm. The next cut came about one-half of the way over. Tseng could already feel a great amount of pressure pull away from his chest. "Here comes the first section." The doctor carefully pulled at the once sticky, now soaked, section of thick adhesive bandages. He noticed part of it sticking a little too firmly and soaked Tseng's skin down in more solvent. He continued to remove the first 'panel' he had cut. Once freed of this first portion, the doctor ran his hand over the wet skin.

"This was the impact area. The bruises are gone. You have a scar about four inches long that I'm going to clear up with a small amount of restore materia. Let's work on this next panel here." It came off effortlessly. The slightly cool air of the exam room felt wonderful on his unconfined skin. Once again, the doctor slid his latex-covered hands over the fully exposed area. He then pushed Tseng's hair forward over his shoulder as he moved to his back. "How long you worked for Shinra, Tseng?"

"This is my eighth year with the company. It's hard to believe really." Tseng said as he felt the doctor pour more cool solvent over him. He worked it into the layers on Tseng's back before peeling at the panel again.

"You like it?" the doctor asked as Tseng felt the panel fall away.

"I love my work. It's truly a shame Reeve's going to be leaving soon. I'm uh, I'm Director now. I have been since early this year even thought Reeve is still working for us." Tseng explained.

"Tell me, how many employees work for you?" The doctor seemed genuinely interested rather than simply making small talk.

"Three." Tseng answered him as the doctor moved his hair to his other shoulder.

"Is it more work being Director?" the doctor questioned.

"Oh, it's a hell of a lot of work but I won't lie the money is…well, it's impossible to walk away from." Tseng admitted.

"All done. Let me wipe you off of any residue adhesive and the solvent here." The doctor reached for a medicated wipe and took it all over the newly exposed skin. This was the greatest feeling in the world…well, almost. "There. Now, I'm going to put pressure on you. Tell me if it hurts. Here?" Tseng shook his head. "What about here on your back?" He shook his head again. "And here?"

"No." Tseng told him.

"Okay, take a deep breath for me. Good, exhale. Any discomfort breathing deeply?" he asked as he picked up a tray with a small ball of restore materia.

"Not at all." Tseng said.

"Excellent Now for this scar." The doctor took the materia in his hand and slowly pressed it to the visible and deep scar, allowing Tseng's body to absorb it. Sure enough, as the energy was absorbed it healed the scar as if it were never there to begin with. "Alright, I'm going to give you a shot here. This will prevent any trace of potential infection since you're now off all your medication. It will also keep you from getting sick from that materia." The doctor explained as he cleaned the spot on Tseng's shoulder where he would inject the medicine. "Big stick." He said before pressing the tip into the back of Tseng's shoulder. "Now a bit of a sting."

"What restrictions will I have?" Tseng asked.

"None at all." The doctor assured him. "You could run today if you wanted. Anything you feel like, really."

"Excellent." Tseng said with a slight smile on his face.

"Okay, you're all ready." The doctor said slapping a cotton swab and a band-aid over the injection site. "I'll let you get dressed. Just head out front and the receptionist will check you out." The doctor assured him as he pulled off the latex gloves after having discarded the needle.

"Thank you. And uh, thanks for everything…you know, seeing me through this whole incident." Tseng said as the doctor shoved a handful of papers into a file.

"Just doin' my job. You call me if you need anything. I want you to follow up with me in three weeks as merely a final checkup." The doctor scribbled something on a piece of paper and slapped it into Tseng file. "I'll give all this to the checkout receptionist and she'll get you scheduled.

"Very well. I thank you again."

* * *

><p>She plopped the bag of groceries onto the flawless black granite counter top and flipped the kitchen and living room lights on. It was the most gorgeous home she had ever seen after dark. Sure she had seen some fine homes in Midgar but shit…black granite, sheer champagne and black layered curtains and ivory-gray tiled floors. There was just something about the ambient lighting after dark that made it pop like none other. As beautiful as it was in the winter months, Elena could only imagine what the view out the back must look like in the summer months. The pool was covered, being January and all, but come Spring; the back of this house would simply become a secluded getaway. It was so tasteful. Elena could count on two hands the amount of time she had spent at her miserable two bedroom apartment over top a noodle house in the past three weeks and the amount of time she had spent at 727 Aurora Court. How did a single guy afford a home like this? It was called a 336,000 sign on bonus to become the Director of the Department of Administrative Research on top of a 75,000 house savings.<p>

Elena hated her apartment more than anything. There was no room, no view, and it wreaked of fry oil from the downstairs restaurant. But, being her first year as a newly appointed Turk, it was all she could afford. Rent in the city was horrendous anyway. It was far more beneficial to be a homeowner. Elena took her coat off and walked it over to the closet near the door. She hadn't been in long. It was 6:30 and a typical dark and cold, January night. She and Tseng had worked late, but he had forgotten to stop at the store before coming home. She heard footsteps coming down the stairs behind her as she emptied the brown grocery bag accordingly in the refrigerator.

"Hi." Tseng greeted her scribbling something on the calendar that was concealed on the side of the refrigerator facing the cabinets. Elena looked up and stopped what she was doing, her hands still full of groceries. She didn't say a word. She just made herself drunk off the sight of him.

"How was your day?" She said all smiles, knowing good and well what his answer would be. She resumed placing the refrigerated food in her hands on their designated shelves.

"I ran." Tseng said leaning on the cabinets.

"You ran, huh. And what did the doctor say?" she asked emptying her hands and closing the refrigerator door. She leaned against the fridge in a similar fashion as he was leaning on the cabinets.

"He said I can do anything I want." Tseng answered her.

"Anything…" Elena repeated as she loosened her tie and slowly pulled it from her neck. She pulled it through her hands. Tseng could feel his mouth go dry as she wound each end of her tie around her fingers and snapped it taunt. "What's wrong, baby? You look like you're thinkin' of somethin' real dirty. Oh this?" Elena said innocently referring to the tie she was gripping. "In case you need to whip me and make me mind….or, you know….tie me up and make me learn a lesson or two." She tugged on it again. Tseng thought he might melt into the floor.

* * *

><p>It was the first time a man had ever <em>thrown <em>Elena into his bed and she hadn't before felt anything more exciting. Her breath escaped her as she pushed herself backwards. Tseng unzipped her black jacket as quickly as he could. She kissed him eagerly as hungry hands stripped her jacket off, leaving it somewhere over the floor. His bedroom was just as stunning as the rest of the house. The faint glow of the tall twin lamps on the dresser cast a pale yellow veil over the room. It was comforting and anything but harsh. She pawed at him as she felt him work at the buttons of her white blouse. Heavy breath left her as she awkwardly helped Tseng wiggle out of her shirt. "Put your hands on me." Elena begged filling his palms with black, lace covered breasts.

Elena loved how he loomed over her. Tseng loved a woman on top but tonight he wanted to leave her an exhausted mess. Elena _wanted_ him to leave her an exhausted mess. Tseng kissed her hard, as he drug his hands down her stomach to her pants. She tugged at the soft edge of his cotton t-shirt, working it up toward his shoulders. He pulled back away from her, stripping it off before letting the weight of his body rest on her. Elena moaned out loud at the feeling of his bare skin on hers. She let her hands explore his bare back, his shoulders, everything that had been blocked from her. Tseng rocked against her, transfixed with the feeling of lace slightly scratching at his chest. He moved his hands down her body once more until his fingertips teased the edge of her pants. Within moments he had them unbuttoned and unzipped. Tseng kissed Elena again before pushing himself away from her once more. He tugged at the sides of her hips; working them down slightly. "Shit, Elena you've got a gun on your hip!" Tseng said feeling the butt of a gun handle on her hipbone. He worked her pants down farther only to realize she had the gun tucked neatly into the top of a satin garter belt. It was her dirty little secret. While Tseng and Rude kept a gun in the inner pocket of their suit jackets, she couldn't quite fit one on her chest comfortably. But a garter belt conveniently fixed that problem. She always left the butt of the gun directly at the top of her pants. On the outside of her tucked in white shirt, the barrel wrapped in satin.

"It's not loaded." She quickly reassured Tseng letting her hands drift above her head. He pulled her pants down a little farther. He sounded as if her were about to completely lose his breath.

"Holy hell…Tseng muttered as he got a full image of the handgun, that racy satin garter belt, and those gorgeous thigh high sheer black tights held perfectly in place by her garters. Had he known _that _was what Elena looked like on a typical workday he probably would have made more of a conscious effort to fuck her during his lunch hour instead of discussing the schedule for the week with her. He hurriedly worked her pants all the way off and proceeded to pull the gun off her hip. He reached up and put it on the nightstand hastily; the barrel pointing to the wall. Tseng knew it wasn't loaded, but that was just habit. He couldn't wait to let his hands slide up hosiery covered legs.

"I know what you're picturing yourself doing right now…" Elena said letting her hands play on her own curves as she watched Tseng shed his long pants to the floor with hers. Dark brown eyes burned in to hers. She was right. He loved the way she could read his mind. "It's okay if you want to…" Elena said reaching a hand out to him. He quickly took her hand in his and kissed it before she could touch him. It wasn't that he didn't want her to touch him; it was just too exciting right now. He leaned forward, running his hands up her legs as he had hungered for. Elena moaned for him again. His hands moved up her thighs, over her hips, her abdomen, her stomach, her ribs, over her breasts, until he had worked his way back to her shoulders. He jammed his fingers underneath the straps of her bra and pulled her them down; sliding his hands behind her back. Elena arched a bit allowing Tseng to unfasten her bra. She sighed heavily as she felt his mouth on her. "Oooh, yeah…" she murmured at the divine sensation that tore through her. Black hair tickled and teased her other breast as it fell forward and shrouded the free hand that toyed with her. Elena draped her arms over his back, allowing her fingernails to rake up and down his spine softly. She could feel the force of Tseng pressing in to her, making her wish he'd lose those boxers a little faster.

He left his mouth where it was, but worked his hands down her body again and to the inside of her already slick thighs. Tseng tugged at her black satin underwear. He pulled his lips away from her. "Shit…what all has to come off for….well, these to come off?" he questioned as he ran into her garters.

"You're the boss of me…tear 'em off." Elena said. It paralyzed him. Just as in Wutai, he felt the color fall from his face. She laughed. "Yeah…that's right…boss…" Her words ignited him. Elena gasped in delight as she watched Tseng tear thin satin from her. It was exciting; perhaps even a bit on the animalistic side. "Hell, yeah…" she uttered as she watched ripped satin hit the floor. Elena put her arms over his shoulders as Tseng reached up toward the drawer of the nightstand. Elena let her hands move down his body toward his hips and pushed on soft flannel boxers. She didn't have to struggle long. Tseng took them off for her and threw the condom he had been reaching for beside Elena and shoved her legs apart. She gripped the luxurious cotton sheets until her knuckles turned white as his tongue invaded her. Her desperate whimpers were evidence that clearly Tseng knew what he was doing. She begged him not to stop as she let her arms rest listlessly over her head and he pushed her thighs farther apart.

Elena could feel sweat forming on her chest as she gave in to pure pleasure. Tseng was drunk on the taste of her but he wanted more of her…all of her. He looked up at Elena with fire in his eyes and wiped the back of his hand across his mouth. She panted softly as she watched him open the condom the rest of the way. She loved how he barely even had to look when he unrolled it. There was just something very flawless and experienced in his effortless motion. Tseng grabbed her and pulled her toward him. "Here." He said picking up her sheer-clad legs and putting her ankles over his shoulders. Tseng pulled her a little closer until her calves were resting on his shoulders. He pushed his hands down her legs until his fingers barely touched the garters on her thighs. "God, you're tight…" his voice was quiet and heavy as he squeezed her legs and pushed into her further. Elena laughed sweetly as she once again let her arms freely rest above her head in a sea of soft, down pillows. She watched Tseng's motions carefully; so forceful, so intent and hungry. Elena's steady breath matched his rhythm. The harder and faster his motions, the louder and more desperate she became. Elena begged for him, pleaded for him. The words that left her sweet pout were laced with venom. Tseng had thought she was bad in Wutai…he had no idea she could be so perfectly raunchy. He took her legs off his shoulders, allowing his body to loom over hers. Elena sunk her fingernails into a depth of black and into newly exposed skin. The sound that escaped him proved that it was exactly what he wanted to feel from her. Tseng didn't care if she raked his back raw. As far as he was concerned, the harder she clawed in to him, the more she liked it. Any man with even a little experience knew that a woman's orgasm happened from the outside in. Tseng pressed his body in to her exactly where it needed to be to make just that happen. Elena loved how the low, untamed moans that escaped him mixed with hers.

"Oh! Shit! Sorry" she said rather excitedly after she was convinced she had gotten a little too loud in her last breath. Tseng put a hot hand on her cheek and turned her head slightly so that his lips were on her ear.

"Wake the fuckin' neighbors. Let me hear how much you _really_ like it. Tell me you want more. Tell me you want it harder…and let them hear you next door." Tseng demanded of her amidst weighted sighs. He was about to hear his name intertwined within a string of words that would make even a whore blush. Elena wrapped her arms tighter around him and spread her legs wider, allowing him to push in even closer against her. Elena certainly made him think he was the best she'd ever had and frankly…he was. There was no sweeter sight than that of a woman who was truly enjoying herself as much as Elena was. A woman who could be so uninhibited, so raw in the bedroom was an entirely new level of sexy. Elena was confident and self-assured, she would have never climbed on top of Tseng so effortlessly and eagerly these past three weeks had she not been.

Tseng was intently focused on her, listening to every fervent sound that escaped her; his own breathless voice bleeding in to hers. His body slammed in to hers with incredibly force. Elena clenched on to him her tighter and tighter to keep herself from sliding with his intense rhythm. She cried out louder, harsher, and dangerously close to her own climax. It was the forceful way Tseng rubbed up against her that was about to make her explode. Tseng hoped he could wait until she came first. He adored the weakness in her big brown eyes and the way his name left her lips in a heated gasp. He had only one filthy request of her when she came…and fulfill it she did. It was an overwhelming wave of pleasure that swept over both of them. Elena dug her fingers hard into supple flesh as long, untamed hair fell in her face. The intoxicating scent of sweat, sex and dark citrus suffocated her. Tseng thought certain he was squeezing her too hard, but she didn't react as such. The climactic look in his eyes was even more exciting than the deluge between her legs.

Tseng collapsed on her in a heavy sigh. Elena put her arms around him; pushing sweaty, black hair away from his face behind his ear. His heart pounded against Elena's chest. She closed her eyes and tried to catch her breath. She felt lightheaded and certain that every chemical in her body was in maximum overdrive right now. No man had ever given it to her the way he did, the way he _could_. Tseng finally looked at her but he was at a loss for words. Elena was still trying to catch her breath. Her soft hands caressed him as held on to her, hoping Elena would never take her hands off him. His mind whirled as he laid there re-living every hotter than hot moment that had just happened between them. She had followed boss's orders quite well…maybe he'd spank her next time…


	5. Noir

"Morning Tseng. Coffee?" Scarlet asked as she plopped a carafe in the middle of the rectangular hardwood table. It was a very typical Wednesday morning. An 8:30 meeting with Rufus, Scarlet, Tseng, Elena, Reno, and Rude. Everything was always the same; Tseng would listen intently to Rufus and Scarlet, while taking notes a hundred miles a minute. Elena would pay attention, all the while adding to what Scarlet and Rufus had to say. Rude would act like he was taking notes, when in reality he was always making some kind of strange doodle on the legal pad in front of him. Reno wouldn't even try to act remotely interested, ever. He would always just sit through these two hour meetings looking bored as hell, wanting more than anything to make fun of Scarlet's multiple boob jobs to Rude and more than anxious to get out of that room.

"Thank you." Tseng answered her reaching for the warm aluminum container, the basket of creamer and sugar and stack of Styrofoam cups. Scarlet pushed a large file folder to the head of the table. As typical a Wednesday as this was, the seating around the table was just as typical: Rufus at the head, Tseng to Rufus's right, Scarlet to Rufus's left, Elena beside Tseng, Rude beside Scarlet and Reno at the opposite end of the table. Scarlet laughed to herself.

"You know, in all the time I've known you…you've always taken your coffee black." She remarked seeing Tseng 'destroy' a perfectly good black cup of coffee with two packets of sugar and two creamer packs. He looked up at Scarlet; quickly stopping the stirring motion with the thin stir stick.

"I uh…yes…I do…I do take it black. I'll just uh…sit this one aside." He said at a complete loss for how to respond to her. However, this was about to go from a loss for words to downright awkward. Scarlet walked behind him, heading toward her office to get some more papers; however she stopped walking and back up toward Tseng. She lowered her nose uncomfortably close to his neck.

"That's quite the seductive scent to have on you this early in the morning…considering it's a woman's scent." Scarlet said rather confidently. Tseng hated when Scarlet became intrusive, much like she was right this moment. What did she know anyway? Nosey bitch that tried too hard to be liked, as far as Tseng was concerned….even though technically she had the power to fire him if ever she wanted.

"Excuse me?" Tseng challenged her with narrow eyes.

"There's a scent looming on you Tseng…a scent I'm not quite familiar with. It's strangely feminine for a man." She said.

"I don't believe that's any of your damn business, Scarlet. Get the file." He told her matter of factly and honestly, a bit irritated with her. Scarlet quickly cleared her throat.

"Yy…yes, sir." She scurried off without another word. Tseng pushed the cup of coffee he had prepared moments earlier to his right before pouring another cup. He started at the black cup before him. He then tugged at the collar of his shirt, pulling it up the best he could. Her scent was truly all over him, saturated into his clothes, looming on his flesh. Tseng closed his eyes and swallowed hard: _Noir._ He could picture the bottle sitting there on the sink in his bathroom. The faded scent that hung on him only made his mind race. The night before, Elena had been assigned to a routine fly-over just to keep tabs on a reactor that had exhibited some odd emissions. The fly-over didn't go exactly as planned; a fierce snow storm had grounded the helicopter and left Reno in a horrible mood. They had been delayed for nearly five hours. At around 3:30 AM that morning, Elena had finally arrived back home, freezing and exhausted. She had crept around the house as softly as she could but she knew getting in the shower would wake Tseng at least a little and she desperately needed a hot shower to soothe her.

He had tried to wait up on her knowing she was out there in such a brutal night but he had read himself to sleep. The pale glow of the bathroom lights trickling through the bottom of the door did wake him, but barely. What _really_ snapped him out of a deep sleep was how Elena came to bed. The only thing she wore was _Noir_ and it was a scent so incredibly crippling that it resulted in both Tseng and Elena getting a measly two and a half hours of sleep. The meeting room door opened and Tseng shot his eyes quickly that way, snapping himself out of the near trance-like state he had entered. It was Rufus and Scarlet.

"Morning." Rufus greeted Tseng.

"Rufus." Tseng answered him searching his inside coat pocket for a pen. Rufus took his place at the head of the table. Rude and Elena were next to walk in. Elena immediately noticed the coffee at her seat. She wanted to smile but she refrained.

"Everything's here you requested Rufus." Elena said sliding a thick folder towards Rufus before taking her seat beside Tseng. "Thank you." She lipped the words to him. Rude took his place next to Scarlet.

"How long we gonna be today? Any idea?" he asked anyone who would answer.

"We'll try to keep it short. An hour or less. Tseng I need to sign these paper." Rufus said shuffling through a stack and handing over a few papers to Tseng.

"Excellent." Rude answered. Elena carefully flipped her document portfolio open underneath the table before placing it on the table before her. Scarlet had just put her glasses on but she quickly took them off.

"Elena, that's a nice portfolio. I've never seen you with it before." Scarlet commented.

"God, could this bitch BE any more annoying!" Tseng said to himself. Of course, that was also the two hours of sleep talking. Elena put her glasses on and eyed Scarlet. She needed them to see all these papers up close.

"Thank you." Elena said. She glanced over at Tseng before picking up her coffee. Her glasses instantly turned her in to the sweet, rule enforcing librarian slut that every man fantasized about. She was nothing short of adorable. A strand of pearls around her neck long enough for her to wrap her fingers around would have been the perfect touch of sin. Reno walked in looking less than thrilled. It was apparent that he too was running on next to no sleep.

"Sorry…gimme that coffee will ya?" Reno asked reaching across the table and not even waiting on someone to oblige him.

"Let's go ahead and get started. Thanks." Rufus said taking the signed papers from Tseng. "Here are copies of the quarterly reports from all the reactors. Let's start by looking at reactor five since that seemed to be the reactor of concern yesterday." Rufus said passing a stapled packet to Scarlet who took a packet and passed it around the table. The six of them flipped to the appropriate page as Rufus began to babble on about the reactor. Tseng scribbled all over the page as Rufus talked. Elena made certain to keep her packet of papers and her portfolio on her lap. "Reno, you go first. Please tell us about the reactor findings."

"Huh? Oh…yeah…sure." Reno mumbled as he practically guzzled the coffee. Elena listened as Reno half-heartedly recounted their events from the late, late night before. She had some reports in her portfolio from the previous night that she had documented. Reno kept talking as he handed over a stack of papers to Scarlet. Elena took a sip of her coffee, trying her best to wake up a little more. Sure she was in a more pleasant mood than Reno was but she certainly not on her 'A game' today.

"Elena, can I see your reports please?" Scarlet asked not looking up from her legal pad as she took the papers from Reno.

"Wha?" Elena asked in a bit of a daze.

"Your findings from the reactor last night. May I see them please?" Scarlet repeated looking up at her.

"Oh, oh, oh. Certainly, yes. Reports…." Elena said opening her portfolio underneath the table. She laid the papers on the table and pushed them reluctantly in front of her. Tseng quickly snatched them up and handed them over to Scarlet.

"Thank you." Scarlet said. Reno continued talking away. Scarlet glanced over one of the reports and handed it back toward Elena. Tseng grabbed it from her and pushed it in front of Elena. Rufus fired a few questions at Reno, of which he had no trouble answering. Tseng made his suggestions about the matter. Rufus always listened to what Tseng had to say. He trusted and valued Tseng's opinion.

"Oh, 'Lena…here." Reno said handing a document toward Elena. She took a deep breath. She was more than reluctant to reach for it. There was just enough room between her, the corner of the table and Reno that forced her to reach for it. She tried to make it quick, tried to awkwardly adjust her arm but it was no use….Reno's eyes were wide at what he saw. No wonder Elena was trying so hard to keep her arms under the table. There it was, her wrist appeared to have been burned. In fact, as Reno stared at her dainty little wrist before she quickly yanked her sleeve down and hid it under the table he thought it looked as if she had been…restrained or something.

There was one very minor detail about the night before: Elena's naked, _Noir_-laced body hovered over Tseng's by 4:15 AM. He had her wrists tied up above her head a little too tightly by 4:25. Elena may have tugged, fought, resisted and thrashed against her restraints a little too excitedly….which left her wrists a raw, burned and slightly bloody. It had been more than worth it. It was obvious that the Turks could handle a gun; but they could also tie one hell of a knot. Elena had worn her entire body out trying to break free of it. She had worn Tseng out in the process as well. They went to sleep at five, woke up at seven but it had been the wildest night either of them had ever had. Now here they were, and here was the evidence of one _hell _of a romp.

Thank god Reno didn't know _why_ her wrists looked the way they looked. Both Tseng and Elena were rather absent in this meeting because this…this feeling was like a hangover…only instead of a groggy and sick daze it was a horny and insatiable lust for more. It was so strong, that the last thing in the world Tseng could do was concentrate. Seeing her battered wrist so quickly only made his mind race. God how he wanted her to paralyze him with her tongue, choke him on her scent, rape him with eyes, violate him with her…

"Tseng!" Rufus had finally gotten his attention.

"Oh god I'm….I'm so sorry…I….what was the question?" Tseng asked with a shaky voice as he picked up his cup of coffee. He finished the rest of it in three gulps. Elena noticed sweat on his neck. Reno was still staring at Elena with the strangest of looks on his face while Rufus questioned Tseng. Elena shot daggers back at him as if to say 'don't you ask a damn thing and stop staring at me.' No wonder Tseng had so eagerly snatched up her reports earlier and handed them to Scarlet. Scarlet would have indeed questioned Elena which in turn would have pissed Tseng the hell off and this meeting would have gotten awkward. Elena jammed her hands underneath the table and was still glaring at Reno. The eagerness in his face confirmed that he indeed wanted to ask her what she had done to herself but the defensiveness in her eyes said that he would get zero information from her.

"I'll get them. They're in my office." Scarlet said standing up. Elena had no idea what she, Tseng and Rufus were just now talking about. It was a blur of words to her. Scarlet passed behind Rufus, Tseng and Elena but the click of her high heels stopped only momentarily behind Elena. Scarlet narrowed her eyes behind Elena as she caught a sweet whiff of the scent hanging on Elena's clothes. She glanced quickly at Tseng and pretended to reach over Elena for a paper on the table.

"Sorry, I just…well I needed this. You smell nice." Scarlet said softly before leaving the room. It had happened so quickly yet Scarlet was making a strong point to Tseng that she may have been on to something. Neither Elena nor Tseng thought about smelling the same this morning. Tseng glared at Scarlet as she left the room.

* * *

><p>It had turned into a rainy January afternoon. The clock read 1:24. "You wanted to see me." Elena said as seriously as she could. She locked the door behind her. Tseng looked up from whatever he was working on and shoved it aside. The radio was on very softly in the background.<p>

"Come here." He reached his arms out to her. Elena smiled and walked around his large solid cherry desk and sat on his lap. She put her arms around his shoulders but Tseng reached and pulled the sleeve of her jacket and white shirt up. He wanted to examine her wrist. Her skin flinched at the touch of his fingertips.

"No, no…don't make that face. I wanted you to leave me like this." Elena said. Her smile was soft and reassuring. He looked down toward her tie still allowing her wrist to rest in his hand. He pulled her tightly against him, letting her scent swallow him up.

"Oh, Elena." His voice was soft and heavy. He sounded weary.

"You're exhausted…go home. Don't worry about Rufus, don't worry about Scarlet. Just go home. Go, home…take a long, long bath. Give me an hour and I'll be home." He said. Elena didn't have a whirlpool bath at her apartment…she knew exactly what Tseng meant when he said go home.

"I am exhausted. Would you think it awful if I had a glass of wine on a Wednesday afternoon?" she asked.

"Have a whole fuckin' bottle if you want." Tseng assured her. He kissed her. It was very risky. Had someone tried that office door and found it locked a hundred questions would have been raised.

"I have to admit…I'm exhausted but…I'm…" Elena sighed. "…god I'm so wet." It was a candid confession and honest. Tseng closed his eyes. Frankly, it was exactly what he wanted to hear but he didn't need it right now of all times because he was already on edge for her. He squeezed her shoulders.

"Leave, go on…get outta here. I'll be home soon.

"I'll be mostly naked when you get home." She said lowly as she gently pushed long black hair behind his ear. "Is that terrible…to be that way…in the middle of a work day like this?" Tseng shook his head.

"No…no it's not. It's…" Tseng sighed and didn't bother finishing his sentence. Elena thought it was so endearing to see Tseng so fragile and perhaps even a bit debilitated. He was nothing like the strong, career driven director that was his façade right now. He was Tseng minus the Shinra exterior. Elena leaned forward and kissed him. It was a little too passionate for an office kiss but that's what was also so exhilarating about it….it was too passionate to be an office kiss.

"Just so we're clear…" she kissed him again. "…my fantasy…" she kept kissing him. "…is for you…" she kissed him harder "…to fuck me…" she didn't let up. "…on this sold cherry desk…" He lips were soft. "…late one night…" she could feel his hands squeeze her tighter. "…when you and I…" she got her tongue involved before she finished her thought. "…have been working late. Now, is that a gun I feel on you or something else?" Elena drug her fingers through long hair.

"Either way…it's fully loaded and the safety's on. I'll see you in about an hour." He reassured her. Elena smiled and reluctantly slid off his lap.

"Bye, darling." It was all she said before unlocking the door and slipping out of his office without another word. "Scarlet." She said matter of factly.

"Where are you going in such a hurry?" Scarlet asked watching Elena head down the hall rather quickly.

"Orders from the boss." Elena said not offering any more information.

* * *

><p>A raw and abused wrist hung over the tiled side of the whirlpool bath. Elena was listening to the music files on her phone softly. She felt a bit like a lush, She was drinking a heavy-bodies Bordeaux straight from the bottle. It was soothing and she didn't trust herself with a wine glass in this tub. She rolled a pale pink pill around on her finger before swallowing it down with a gulp of wine. She threw the blister pack across the bathroom the best she could, hoping it would land somewhere on the spacious counter. She sighed deeply as the rain hit the beautiful arched, clouded glass, bathroom window. The champagne colored sheer nearly touched the water and the large, ornate vase with a golden image of Leviathan was filled with artificial white roses. They looked so real, however. Tseng never used this whirlpool bath ever…it was just part of the house when he bought it. Twice a month he filled it with water and turned on the jets to ensure everything was in good working order.<p>

Elena stared at the crown molding on the ceiling before closing her eyes. There was something so hypnotic and calming about this song. Not to mention, it was a song with a beat that turned suddenly erotic. Truly, it was a song of pure seduction. Elena wondered if it had set the stage for her and Tseng ultimately sleeping together in Wutai. She took a deep breath. It was so easy to let her body gently roll to the seductive back beat. The wine only added to her body's easy movement. She lipped the words gently, lost in her erotic fantasy: I can feel it comin' in the air tonight, oh lord…I've been waiting for this moment for all my life, oh lord…I can feel it in the air tonight, oh lord. Perhaps one of these days she would have enough courage and enough alcohol in her system to strip to this.

She opened her eyes and turned to face the vast, mirrored vanity. She eyed her black lace garter that she had taken off earlier and laid on the edge of the counter. There was a black tie draped across the small stool near the doorway to the walk-in closet. Only one side of the closet was filled and there were scattered, unfolded clothes of hers on the floor. She had been in the process of filling a drawer. Elena could count the items on the other side: a white slip, two black suits, three white collared shirts and a pair of sweatpants. There was a gun laying on the long bench in the center with the clip taken out exposing a hollow handle as well as a suit still zipped up in it's garment bag from where it had come back form the cleaners. At the end of the closet one pair of silver high heels in the midst of Tseng's strangely diverse array of shoes.

Her mind drifted as she looked at Tseng's nearly empty cologne bottle and some change from where he had obviously emptied his pockets. His towel, gray t-shirt and long, soft navy blue pants were still on the floor from where he had taken a shower that morning. It was then she realized: she wasn't just some pretty fixture in Tseng's perfect palace…she was building a life in these walls. She took a deep, relaxed breath and then another long drink of wine. She couldn't help but smile. The house was so quiet. She knew she should get out of this tub soon but the water felt so good on her battered wrist. She sat the wine bottle down so she could get both hands into the water. The heat burned against the tender flesh at first. Elena looked at her red and pink wrists under the water and where she had burned the skin to a frayed edge in places. She took an arm out of the tub and reached for the wine bottle again. She heard the door open downstairs.

She could hear his routine: he'd drop his keys on the glass table and open the closet to hang up his long black trench coat. She would then hear the sound of the refrigerator door open followed by the sound of a can of giner ale opening. She could never actually hear him pour it over a glass of ice, but she knew it happened. That routine was frighteningly predictable and Elena loved it. She could hear his footsteps coming up the stairs. He walked into the closet and turned the light on, glancing at Elena to see if she were asleep.

"It's miserable out there…well, you know…you drove home." He said unzipping his jacket, walking into the bathroom and sitting on the tiled corner of the bath. She extended the bottle of wine toward him. She didn't give a shit that he was in here with her naked in a tub of hot soaking water. In fact, it spoke volumes that he was comfortable enough to do it. Tseng took a drink and held on to the bottle. "You look…so relaxed." He told her.

"I am." Elena said smiling. Tseng took another drink of wine and sighed.

"I hate Scarlet so much. Today, I hate the Shinra building in general." He noticed something reflecting in the sink. "You have a pack of birth control in the sink." He said taking another drink and chasing it with ginger ale.

"Yeesssss! I was hoping I made a good throw." She said quite pleased with herself. Tseng took his watch off and leaned forward to put it on the counter.

"Where's your phone?" she mumbled in the middle of a deep yawn. The only reason she asked was because he always threw it down somewhere in either the bathroom or closet when he got home.

"Downstairs turned off. I can't deal with another phone call today." He said taking another drink and handing the bottle back to her. He didn't say anything for a moment, he just took in the sight of her. "Elena…" he began. She took a drink and looked at him. "…make love to me. Make…desperate love to me…" he begged of her candidly.

"Mmmm…give me fifteen more minutes and you can fuck my brains out." Elena said.

"No, no, no…take as long as you want. But…no…we've fucked like…endlessly. This time…I wanna make love to you. We've never made love and we…so desperately need to." He said.

"Will you be on top? And…will you do…seventy-five percent of the work.?" Elena asked with a smile.

"Yes and yes." Tseng promised her. "It'll the best we've ever had I swear it." He was more than sincere. Elena smiled.

"You seem pretty confident…boss." She said. He leaned forward and kissed her forehead, putting his hand on her wet cheek.

"You know Elena, the boss is always right." He told her before leaving her to her bath. He'd have his sheets turned down and the curtains pulled over the windows on this rainy January afternoon.

My apologies for typos, was proofed by someone else. I hope you enjoyed it!


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